I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up but I hope to be something.

Way I see it something is the best thing to be. Something is a balance and without it, things go sideways.

I want to be something to my kids, my coworkers and friends. I want to embody something. I want to define something in their lives. And I hope they grow up to be something, too.

If you’re lost right now, hang with me. Reflect a moment on the times you felt utterly deflated or overly, disgustingly full. Think about the story you told yourself and how it shaped the world around you – your social radar, your sense of beauty, creativity, impact and compassion, or the lack thereof.

See, everything isn’t a great place to be. Try being everything to anyone and you’re bound to fall short. You’re bound to misstep and people get hurt, including you. Everything is the result of an over-inflated self worth. Everything is a state of mind that you’re hot shit and nothing can touch you. And chances are, as you build that castle in the sky, the ground beneath you crumbles.

But the opposite is equally tragic. If you’re not everything, you’re likely nothing. That’s the way we’re wired if we aren’t careful. That little voice of self-loathing and critique splinters our perceived value and the narrative within. We begin to wonder if we’ve got what it takes or if anyone even cares. We drown our talents in sorrow and cower in a shadow of doubt.

We cannot live in either blindness. I've tried and failed both extremes.

Something, something is the key. Something is a state of mind and acceptance that things may be changing, but we exist, and we matter in this moment. We're more than nothing and less than everything, precisely where we ought to be. Precisely where we can make a difference. Precisely where the magic happens. We're growing with the resources at our disposal; We're content with our lot and proud of where we stand; We savor this moment and position ourselves in equal authority and observation, humility and pride.

We are something that can be anything for anyone, any time. And that’s something to be proud of.

Be something for your family. Start something with strangers. Share something with someone. Invite others in. Don’t be defined by your losses or the weight of your title. Level the playing field and rewrite your story. Reel it in or ramp it up. This starts here.